In the Middle of the Night
by 1432
Summary: "You know there's something wrong when the phone rings in the middle of the night...” Sad fic, AAML in there as well.


In The Middle Of the Night  
  
Angst/Romance-PG13  
  
Summary: "You know there's something wrong when the phone rings in the middle of the night..." Sad fic, AAML in there as well.  
  
A/N: this is my first fic from someone's POV. Oh and btw, I didn't mean copy anyone else's plot or anything I know my ideas aren't very original but they are my own and I use my own ideas to write them. R+R please =]  
  
--  
  
i4:02 AM, Sunday, October 5, 2013  
  
*RING*RING*i  
  
You always know there's something wrong when the phone rings in the middle of the night. The silent feeling of dread washes over you as your slumber is interrupted. You don't want to answer it. Every little fear awakens inside of you suddenly and your chest clenches up so you can't breathe. As hard as it is you will yourself to pick up the phone, praying its a wrong number but still at the same time preparing to take action from the news you are about to receive.  
  
"Hello?" My hoarse voice came out in a gush of air as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and listened to the unfamiliar voice of the other line.  
  
"Hello, is this the residence of Brock Slate?"  
  
"Yes, may I ask who's calling?"  
  
"This is the Viridian General Hospital. I have two patients, early twenties, male and female by the names of Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower. Are you in any way related to them?"  
  
"Y-yes, I'm their best friend, what happened?" I anxiously questioned shakily.  
  
"They were both in a car accident involving a truck. We were told to call you first and we would like you to get down here immediately."  
  
My heart nearly skipped a beat and I had to physically remind myself to breathe. Ash. Misty. Car accident.. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. "Oh God.." I murmured to myself, momentarily forgetting I was still on the phone.  
  
"Mr. Slate? Are you there?" the person on the other line asked.  
  
I managed to regain my composure to answer. "Yes, I'll be there right away. Thank you." I slammed my phone down in one swift move before my emotions began to overtake me once again. Pulling away my trembling hand from the receiver, I somehow managed myself to quickly get dressed and make it down the stairs of my apartment building to the parking lot.  
  
"Ash... Myst.." I quietly muttered once more, as I opened my car door. "Please be all right," I prayed before closing the door shut and disappearing down the streets of Pewter City to Viridian.  
  
--  
  
i4:34 AM, Sunday, October 5, 2013i  
  
I made my way through the swinging doors of the Viridian Emergency Room. My breath got caught in my lungs at I gazed at the scenes around me. People bleeding to death being wheeled in on gurneys as doctors rushed them to rooms in hope of saving their lives. I could not bear to think that it could be Ash or Misty in one of those situations.  
  
I managed to walk through the corridors slightly on my trembling legs. I was about to approach the nurse behind the desk to ask about them and that was when I saw it. Somewhere down the corridor in the waiting room, seated in a bench, was Ash Ketchum, holding his head in his hands.  
  
Half of my fear was overcome by relief as I hurried over to him. "Ash!" I called out. He looked up to see who was calling him and as I got to his side my relief was overcome by dread. His face had several cuts and bruises on it and was stained with tears that were still coming. I only had to look at his pained expression once before a devastating realization came over me. Misty. Oh God no.  
  
"Brock." His voice was scratchy from crying and barley audible as it came out in its desperate tone. He stood up and I engulfed him in a comforting hug which he gratefully accepted. I broke the hug after a moment and looked into his red-rimmed, watery eyes, silently praying that what I was scared of was not true.  
  
"Tell me she's okay.." I begged.  
  
He sighed and sank back down on to the bench, running a hand through his disheveled black hair. I sat down beside him, holding my breath and listening attentively for his next words. "She's still in surgery," he told me quietly and I was once again reassured. At least she was alive.  
  
I sighed in relief. "Thank God."  
  
He averted his gaze back up towards me and it was then I noticed the blood stains on his clothes and the ace bandage on his left wrist. "She's not doing too good, man," he wearily told me. I felt my heart sink down back in my chest all over again.  
  
I had been so thankful to see Ash sitting there alive that I did not come to the realization of what facing life without Misty would be for him. It would have been easier to see them both go then to have to witness one of them devastated at the loss of the other. I furiously shook my head, placing the horrid thoughts in the back of my mind.  
  
"It's all my fault." I heard Ash mutter beside me. I grabbed him by the shoulders like I usually did when I was trying to get a point across to him and forced him to look at me.  
  
"Ash, listen to me, none of this is your fault," I told him firmly.  
  
"I should have been looking at the road..."  
  
"Come on, don't do this to yourself, it was an accident.." I was cut off as he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a small box. He opened it looking at the beautiful diamond ring glistening back at him.  
  
"This wasn't how tonight was supposed to be. It was supposed to be perfect, beautiful.." He trailed off before speaking again. "It was supposed to be me promising to be with her forever and protect her and keep her by my side. It wasn't supposed to be me crashing into a moving truck and letting her slip right through my fingers."  
  
I could not find any words of comfort. I just placed a hand on his shoulder, signaling that I was there. He put his hand over mine thankfully and I was suddenly taken back to several days earlier...  
  
--  
  
i*FLASHBACK*  
  
3:41 PM, Wednesday, October 1, 2013i  
  
The ocean waves splashed in their rhythmic beat coming up above my ankles. The salty air and the smooth sand of the beach gave a somewhat calming effect on me. I looked up towards the sky, mesmerized by its beauty as I smoothed out my brown spiky hair.  
  
"Hey, Brocko."  
  
I turned to see Ash plopping down besides me on the rock I was seated on. I grinned at his presence.  
  
"Hey, Ash," I greeted him. "What's up?"  
  
"Nothing," he sighed. "Just thought I'd sit and chat with my best buddy over here considering my girlfriend has decided to act like a four year old for the day."  
  
"Hey, give me that, you stupid crab!" I turned to see Misty yelling at and chasing a Kingler which had taken a sea shell she needed for the sand castle she was building.  
  
"Well, that's what I'm here for, man," I said, patting him arm. "So, how have you been? We need to catch up, we haven't really talked in a while. How's everything going with that redhead of yours?" A mischievous smile formed on my face and Ash hung his head, blushing lightly as I nudged him in the ribs. "Is she keeping you happy?" I questioned, implying in the same perverted notion I had been before.  
  
He let out a small laugh. "She's been amazing."  
  
I smirked. "I should hope so." I knew Ash and Misty's personal life was not really any of my business, but still a guy has to wonder what his two best friends are doing with each other every time one of them answers the phone out of breath saying they'd call me back in an hour.  
  
"I can't think of a time that's been any better before we got together. I've dreamed of being with her for so long and now it's finally happened. These last six years with her have just been complete bliss," he said sincerely. I was moved by his words. I had always known that he had a thing for Misty when we were young and I was thrilled to hear him talking about how happy he now that they were officially a couple.  
  
"Well, good for you, man," I told him, seriously, slapping him on the back. "You and Myst were in love with one another secretly for years. You deserve to be this happy with her."  
  
He smiled. "Thanks," he replied, looking downwards briefly before picking his head up to face me again. "I kinda need your advice about something involving her, however."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
Ash reached into his pocket and placed a small black box in my hand. I opened it carefully, although already knowing what it was. A diamond engagement ring lay resting in its bed of velvet and I turned up to face him, a proud smile lighting up my face.   
  
"Are you going to.." I started but he cut me off, answering my unasked question.  
  
"Yeah," he said, grinning sheepishly.  
  
"Holy shit, congratulations," I exclaimed to him.  
  
"I don't think congratulations are in order yet. I'm still not sure if I should do it right now."  
  
"Ash.."  
  
"I mean, I love her more than anything, but I'm afraid I'm moving too fast," he admitted.  
  
I raised an eyebrow to him in disbelief. "You've known her for thirteen years, you've been dating her for six, and you're afraid that you're moving too fast?"  
  
He let out an exasperated laugh. "I know but I'm afraid that she's not ready. I don't want to scare her or anything."  
  
"Ash," I stated once again, putting both my hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at me. "She's been ready since she was ten years old. You should not be worried about scaring her, this will only make her happier than she is right now. You and Misty are meant to be together, everyone knows it, and everyone has always known it." I saw Ash's smile come back to his face at my reassuring words. "And I could not think of anything more right, than you asking her to be with you forever, because you guys should be together forever. It wasn't by mistake that she fished you out of that river that day, it was destiny."  
  
"Thanks, Brock," he replied, obviously touched by what I had said.  
  
"Any time." We sat there, basking in the peaceful moment for a beat before I nudged him, signaling to go back. We both turned and began to walk over to where Misty was sitting in the sand. I had to laugh at her appearance. She looked like the scrawny little ten year old she once was as she played in the sand.  
  
"I hereby proclaim this tower of sand. Kingdom Mistyville!" she cried, thrusting her hands out at the sand creation she had been working on for so long. She looked up and flashed Ash and I an impish grin as we exchanged glances.  
  
"I'm gonna marry that woman," Ash spoke quietly after a moment.  
  
"What was that, sweetie?" Misty inquired, slightly overhearing him.  
  
We laughed amongst one another. "Nothing," he told her, simply. She just shrugged and went back to working on her sand castle unbeknownst to her, that her soon-to-be-fiancé was smiling down at her. I looked at them, proud-ness filling me once more.  
  
That was the last time I ever saw her.  
  
i*END FLASHBACK*i  
  
The slightest grin came to my face at the memory but it soon disappeared as reality hit me again. I did not want to be where I was. I wanted to be sleeping at home in my bed and wake up to get the news of Ash and Misty's engagement. I heard Ash inhale behind me and I looked up to see a doctor approaching us. We both stood and I tried to read his face but I found myself unable to do it because of the emotionless mask he was wearing.  
  
"I'm sorry. We did all we could but I'm afraid she didn't make it."  
  
The doctor's words echoed in my mind again and again and again. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't speak. All I could do was lower my best friend to the floor as his knees gave in and keep a supporting arm around his shoulders as he cried for the loss of his only love.  
  
--  
  
i 9:41 AM, Saturday, October 13, 2013 i  
  
The next week went by as a blur. The sudden funeral arrangements had been devastating for everyone to make. Nobody could believe that Misty was truly gone. It seemed so hard to comprehend. Misty was young, beautiful, caring, sweet, outgoing, and most importantly of all she had the love of a man that few women would ever endure in their entire lives. And just like that, she had been stuck down by the hand of fate. It did not seem possible...but it was the truth.  
  
The funeral came seven days after it happened and that's when it hit me, along with everyone else, like a ton of bricks. Misty was dead.. and she wasn't coming back. I was standing in the kitchen of the Ketchum household in my classic black suit and tie. Tracey sat at the kitchen table, staring blankly ahead. I knew he was devastated as well but not as much as I was. I was closer with Misty then he had been due to the fact I had known her longer and did spend more time with her.  
  
Delia entered the room from the other side, her face dripping with tears that fell onto her black dress. She had been riddled with grief at Misty's loss and even more so due to the fact that she would never get to be her mother-in-law.  
  
"Where's Ash?" she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"He's still in his room," Tracey answered flatly. I heard Delia sigh and squeeze her eyes shut to stop the new flood of tears that were coming.  
  
"I'll go get him," I offered. They both looked at me gratefully and I turned and slowly made my way up the staircase to his room. I stopped in the door frame as soon as I saw him. He sat at his desk, his head low as he stared hard at something. I took a deep breath and slowly walked behind him. My own despair rose up in my chest as I saw him staring at the ring, still in its box, which rested next to a picture of him and Misty that I had taken of them at the beach that day. I sighed heavily and rested my hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Ash," I spoke gently. He didn't respond. "Come on, man, we have to go."  
  
He shook his head determinately and I could feel him shaking from underneath my touch. "I don't wanna go," he murmured quietly. I sighed once more and moved to stand beside him.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because if I go that'll mean that Misty's never coming back, and I don't think I can handle that." His voice cracked as he spoke and I averted my sympathetic stare at him.   
  
Ash had been there for me in some of my worst times. When my father died when I was eighteen it was he who comforted me. When Suzy broke up with me after three years he listened to my ramblings and my grief. All I could do was be there for him, in a time that was darker than anything I ever had and probably ever would experience in my entire life.  
  
"Ash." I turned around at the sound of Delia's voice. She stood in the doorway along with Tracey and I was silently thankful they had come to my rescue. Ash did not move to face them, he kept his eyes fixated downwards. Delia entered the room followed by Tracey. "Ash ... come on, sweetie, it's time to leave."  
  
"No." His voice was hardly audible but we all heard it.  
  
"Honey, I understand.." Delia was cut off abruptly  
  
"No, you don't understand!" Ash shouted, standing up as he did so.  
  
We were all taken aback by his outburst. I then got a good look at his face. His eyes were red and had bags under them. His face remained the same mask of grief and despair and he looked as if he hadn't slept in days which I knew he hadn't. I had been staying at the Ketchum house ever since it happened and if I was not mistaken, Ash had cried himself to sleep every night. He lowered his head and his voice returned to the monotone it had been before.  
  
"You don't understand what it's like to have the love of your life taken from you without warning. Dad left you, Mom, he didn't die.. It's completely different." His voice broke as he trailed off. I kept my mouth shut, I knew he wasn't done. "We could have had such a wonderful life together," he whispered, stealing a glance at the engagement ring on his desk. "I could have proposed, we would have gotten married, had kids, and grown old together.. but now that will never happen." His words were coming out in sobs now and I couldn't hold my tears in any longer. I let them flow freely down my cheeks as Delia and Tracey's were. "Why did this have to happen?" he asked no one in particular. "S-she was so young, so beautiful, so perfect.." he choked out. He sank to his knees much like he had in the hospital that fateful night. "I loved her so much."  
  
We all watched in awe as Ash sat on the floor on his knees, crying his heart out. I knew I had to do something. Delia was too shocked to move to comfort her son...so I did. Just like I had a week ago, I kneeled down beside him and putting my hand on his shoulder as he once again.. wept for his love.  
  
--  
  
i11:18 AM, Saturday, October 13, 2013i  
  
The funeral had came and went and the guests were slowly departing. The whole experience had been unbearable for me. Ash cried throughout the entire thing, as did Delia, Tracey, Daisy, Lily, Violet, and I did as well. Everyone had left the graveyard after offering their condolences and soon it was only Ash and I remaining.  
  
He stood in front of her coffin staring at it blankly. A rose was gluthed tightly in his right hand and I could he see he somehow found himself unable to drop the flower on the box that contained the only woman he had ever loved. I approached him from behind slowly. I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it.  
  
"It shouldn't be like this," he whispered to me.  
  
"You're right, it shouldn't," I agreed with him, my voice low as well as I went to stand beside him. His shaky hand moved itself over the coffin and he was about to drop the rose when he stopped, hanging his head.  
  
"I can't," he muttered, grimly.  
  
"You have to."  
  
He shook his head. "I can't say good-bye, Brock, I just I-I can't..." He took a deep breath before continuing. "We were meant to be together, you said so yourself that it was destiny. Why would destiny take her from me like this?" he looked up at me with his tear-filled brown eyes and I suddenly saw through the twenty-three year old man, the lost little boy he once had been.  
  
"Fate works in mysterious ways," I told him softly. He hung his head and began to sob lowly once more. He managed to regain his composure and drop the rose on the coffin.  
  
"I love you, Misty," he murmured, running his fingers over the coffin. "I always have, always will, and I promise you one way or another... I will make sure we are together again."  
  
Ash managed to tear himself away from her as I lead him back to the car where everyone else was waiting. He stole a final glance at the coffin as he said good-bye to Misty for the last time.  
  
--  
  
i2:49 AM, Tuesday, October 16, 2013i  
  
I tossed and turned in bed that night. I had not been able to get a decent night's sleep for over a week. My mind was running with thoughts that never seemed to stop. I missed Misty and I was terribly worried about Ash. He had barely said a word to me or anyone else since the funeral. The second we got back to his house he immediately went to his room to sit at his desk and blankly stare at the ring and picture of him and Misty. I had gone back home on Monday and he did not seem to be getting any better. None of us could blame him though, he was going through one of the most devastating ordeals few ever would go through.  
  
i*RING*RING*i  
  
The ringing of the phone jolted me back to my senses. The emotions that had run through me eight nights ago, reawakened in me suddenly. I did not hesitate to answer to phone this time, I immediately answered it, out of breath run sitting up so fast.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, Brock Slate?" another unfamiliar voice questioned on the other line.  
  
"Yeah, who's this?" I questioned, panic invading me once more.  
  
"This is Pallet General Hospital, I'm sorry, Sir, but I have to inform you that Ash Ketchum committed suicide in his home one hour ago."  
  
I dropped the phone.  
  
fin. 


End file.
